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Flashed 9 LHG5nD-US nodes, 7 worked and 2 refused conversion

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kf7yrs
Flashed 9 LHG5nD-US nodes, 7 worked and 2 refused conversion
Hi, I've gotten pretty good at flashing Mikrotik nodes, perhaps 40+ with no failures until this last month.  That includes ~12 LHGs of various subtypes.   Recently, our local hospital brought me 6 LHG5nDs to flash (RouterOS 6.49.13) and the local club had 3 more (6.48.7).  5 of the hospital's went fine and 2 of the club's went fine.  One from each group refused to load the sys-upgrade file.  I loaded 20240926-5913b09 on the Club's (one failed) and 3.24.10.0 on the hospital's (one failed).   At first I used the "V7" files because they worked...until they didn't.  Then I tried perhaps 5 different recent releases and daily's but nothing got past the "load the sysupgrade" step.  The kernel.bin always seemed to work fine.  When I tried to load the upgrade file, it just sat there, not even pretending to try.   The Arden kernel file was pingable at 192.168.1.1 and the RouterOS was still at 192.168.88.1.   If I went to 192.168.1.1 and retried to load the upgrade file again, nothing happened.  I tried lots of firmware versions and nothing got past the "load sysupgrade" step.  The "congratulations screen" just sits there and does nothing.  The button changes color when you push it, but that's it.

I've gone into Router OS and changed the boot order to ethernet first... no help.  I've used winbox and changed the Roouter OS firmware  to previous and more recent versions, including 7, no luck.  I've rebooted everything and tried different computers.    I'm just short of trying electro shock therapy on the radio.

I understand I can WinSCP and/or Putty to put the upgrade file into the node and then execute it.  I'd love more details on that method.  I've read the docs section on the subject, but I've not used Putty much. I can get into the radio with WinSCP, but am not sure where to put the sysupgrade file.  The Putty part is not working at all.

Sorry this is so long, thanks for any suggestions.

Lee -kf7yrs
KD1HA
KD1HA's picture
Did you try the dangerous
Did you try the dangerous upgrade? Worked for me in similar situation.

Denis 
kf7yrs
I searched the forum and found references to "dangerous upgrade"
Thanks for your reply!!!   I searched the forum and found references to "dangerous upgrade".  Is it only available after Aredn FW is loaded or is it a setting in RouterOS?   From the posts, it would seem like it would have to be a setting in RouterOS.

Thanks!
nc8q
nc8q's picture
after Aredn FW is loaded
after Aredn FW is loaded
 
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kf7yrs
after the firmware is loaded, that's the problem...
Thanks Chuck, I can see how that would be really useful, but only after the AREDN FW is loaded.  My problem is the nodes (2X) won't load the sysupgrade file, either the normal or V7 versions.   The Router OS stubbornly remains, co-existing with the AREDN kernel file, albeit at different IP addresses.   The kernel file loads fine.   At 192.168,1,1  the "congratulations on booting AREDN"  page loads, and I navigates to the sysupgrade normally,   The file appears in the box and I click "upload and reboot".  The button changes color and after that, nothing happens.   The normal "timer" line never appears, it just sits there. The nodes LEDs don't look like they are booting or anything. A dumb switch between the computer and dish doesn't show a lot of traffic,  I've done this many times on the offending nodes, it never changes.  

I think once I saw a line saying that the file was a mismatch for the device.  It disappeared in a few seconds and I've never seen that line again in many attempts.   The dish is labeled "RBLHG-5nD-US".   I've tried most, if not all of the FW listed on the attached JPG.  Remember 7 of the 9 dishes flashed easily the first try.

I'm thinking that I need to find a different way, maybe WinSCP/Putty?   Thanks!
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nc8q
nc8q's picture
Remember 7 of the 9 dishes flashed easily the first try.
Hi, Lee:

2 of the 9 routers could be bad.
So, you did not try to load the firmware by first transferring it to the node, then
ssh'ing into the node to load it?

73, Chuck
 
kf7yrs
The nodes are working fine with RouterOS
Hi Chuck,   Both the LHGs are running fine with Mikrotik RouterOS, and I've managed to upgrade/downgrade the RouterOS version on one of them, so I think they are OK.  

I used WinSCP and connected with one of the nodes (FTP, port 21) and see the file structure in the attached jpg.  I assume I would put the sysupgrade file in the "Flash" folder.  I wasn't able to get a connection with putty to execute the sysupgrade command.   I don't use Putty very much and thought I would see if anyone could recommend settings.  Probably just being lazy.   I had hoped this was a known issue and I could use the regular flashing procedure.  Time to learn a new trick,
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nc8q
nc8q's picture
I wasn't able to get a connection with putty to execute the sys
" I wasn't able to get a connection with putty to execute the sysupgrade command."

Did you use port 2222 with Putty?

From:
https://tonyteaches.tech/putty-ssh-windows-tutorial/
I found this image (attached).
I have not used Windows since version 7. Circa 2007?

73, Chuck

 
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kf7yrs
Tried to WinSCP the sysupgrade file...
I tried to WinSCP FTP transfer the 3.24.10.0 sysupgrade file to the flash directory on the LHG.  It got about 3/4 of the way and then there was an error message.(attached). I was "forcibly closed"... first time for that...  I went into RouterOS and checked the memory (attached) seemed OK.  I guess that's progress.
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KD1HA
KD1HA's picture
Did you try the "dangerous
Did you try the "dangerous upgrade" after the kernel.bin? I'm thinking that all the others are sysupgrade.bin files but the "dangerous upgrade" just doesn't check the file system. I could be wrong but the other (correct way) isn't flying. I, like yourself, have done many of these as we received a grant and bought 20+ as well. I had issues with some but not quite the same as you are having.
Denis    
kf7yrs
Not a lot of options
Thanks Denis.   I guess the problem is that after the RB.elf / kernel file loads, there are not a lot of options other than select a file and upload.  In order to use the dangerous upgrade option I would need access to the advanced configuration menu and it just isn't there until the susupgrade loads, which it won't ;-)
KD1HA
KD1HA's picture
Like Chuck said it just may
Like Chuck said it just may be a bad radio but if you find a solution please share! 

Denis

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